'Men in Black' leads box office, fails to wow critics | Inquirer Entertainment

‘Men in Black’ leads box office but fails to wow critics

/ 04:55 PM June 17, 2019

Men in Black fails to wow critics

Image: Sony Pictures France via AFP

“Men in Black: International” led North American box offices over the weekend, but the new sci-fi comedy was not as far into the black as Sony would have liked, taking in an estimated $28.5 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported.

In this spinoff to the three earlier “Men in Black” installments, the roles of black-suited alien-fighters pass from their originators, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, to the younger Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. Liam Neeson and Emma Thompson also star.

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Critics liked the chemistry of the two leads but gave the movie a lukewarm rating of only 24 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Its box-office take for the three-day weekend fell short of “even the slimmest of studio expectations,” website BoxOfficeMojo reported.

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But as suggested by its title, the film, shot in five countries, is doing better overseas, with earnings of $73 million to date.

In second spot was last weekend’s leader, “The Secret Life of Pets 2” from Universal, at $23.8 million. This sequel features the voices of Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish and Patton Oswalt in another tale of the mischief pets get into when their owners are away.

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In third, for the second week, was Disney’s live-action “Aladdin”, at $16.7 million. It stars Will Smith as the genie and Mena Massoud as the wily title character craving the attention of the enticing Jasmine (Naomi Scott).

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Slipping two spots to fourth place was “X-Men: Dark Phoenix”, at $9 million. In what is said to be the final installment in the X-men series, the lead characters face the fierce superhuman Phoenix after a space mission goes awry. The film stars James McAvoy, Sophie Turner, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain.

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And in fifth, for the second week, was Paramount’s “Rocketman”, at $8.8 million. Taron Egerton stars in the biopic dramatizing the life of superstar singer Elton John.

Rounding out the weekend’s top 10 were:

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“Shaft” ($8.3 million)

“Godzilla: King of the Monsters” ($8.1 million)

“John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” ($6.1 million)

“Late Night” ($5.1 million)

“Ma” ($3.6 million). CC

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Franchise fatigue continues with ‘Men in Black’ and ‘Shaft’ 

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WATCH: Chris Hemsworth bares ripped abs in ‘Men in Black’ training video 

TAGS: Box office films, Chris Hemsworth, Liam Neeson, Men in Black: International, Tessa Thompson

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